After All: Songfic
by Idle Stripe
Summary: Sequel to 'Lonely'. It's time Axel got back what he lost, and he's going to do it the only way he knows how: through music. Will Demyx take him back? Songfic to Cher's 'After All'. Contains AkuDemy and ZexionOC.


_**-'After All'**_

_**-A 'Kingdom Hearts' songfic – sequel to 'Lonely'-**_

=^w^=

Behind a black door that was emblazoned with bright orange and yellow fires sat Radiant Garden's biggest export – local band 'Flurry of Dancing Flames'. The lead singer and guitarist, Axel, was sprawled out along one of the couches, pieces of paper littering his person and the floor space nearest to him. The drummer Roxas sat beside his twin brother – and bass guitarist – Sora, each trying to fix a broken string on Sora's paopu-decorated guitar. The main backup singer and keyboardist Tora was banging her hands on her keyboard in a random rhythm that somehow managed to break the silence the band was in.

"'Dear Mullet Man,'" Roxas suddenly spoke up, looking over at the redhead, "'I realise that I've been a jerk to you for the past three months I've been here, but I'm writing a song for you in a desperate attempt to get you to take me back.'"

"'And if that doesn't work I'll cut out my heart and send it to you with your name as my last words.'" Sora added, giggling as he watched Axel go redder than his hair. The keyboard banging stopped.

"'Yours, Axel.'" Tora finished, all three of them falling over laughing at how sappy they sounded.

"Will you guys shut up?" Axel barked suddenly, "It's not funny!" Wiping a tear from her eye, the backup singer stood up and eased the redhead back onto the couch all the while hugging him comfortingly.

"I'm sorry Axel. I know that Demyx is a sore subject for you but I really think this song will get the message to him." she whispered, "Can I have a copy of the finished lyrics please?" Producing a coffee-stained piece of paper Axel handed it over, burying his face further into his keyboardist's shoulder. Whipping out her Blackberry Tora punched in a number and did some lightning-fast texting before standing up and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Sora asked.

"I'm off to see Zexion." was the elusive answer before the door closed.

"Can we hear the song?" Roxas asked, picking up his drumsticks. Axel nodded.

=^w^=

"_Well here we are again_

_I guess it must be fate_

_We tried it on our own_

_But deep inside we've known_

_We'd be back to set things straight."_

=^w^=

"_I still remember when_

_Your kiss was so brand new_

_And every memory repeats_

_And every step I take retreats_

_Every journey always brings me back to you" _Demyx let the last note carry on for a little while before opening his eyes. Tora grinned at him and put the piece of paper on the coffee table in front of her before hugging the sitarist tightly. The blond returned the hug, confused as to why she would be doing this.

He didn't know she'd seen the photos of him and Axel in his bedroom.

"That sounded so amazing, Demyx!" she squealed quietly, "I could die listening to your voice; it's so much better than mine!"

"R-really?" There was a bright red flush across the sitarist's face that made him look even cuter than before. Tora giggled and nodded, flicking the lyric sheet with a green nail as Zexion walked into the room carrying three cups of something hot. Placing them on the coffee table, he sat beside his girlfriend and plucked the paper from her hands, reading the words Axel had scrawled all over it. It didn't take a genius to work out who the redheaded guitarist had written the song for, but no-one had told Demyx yet. He would find out in his own time.

"Why don't you two try the chorus in unison?" he asked, pointing to the set of words. Tora looked over at the paper, deliberately putting her head on his shoulder in the process.

"What do you say, Demyx?" she asked. Demyx nodded.

"Alright." he replied.

"_After all the stops and starts,"_ they sang,

"_We keep coming back to these two hearts_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall_

_After all we've been through_

_It all comes down to me and you_

_I guess it's meant to be_

_Forever you and me_

_After all." _

=^w^=

"_When love is truly right (this time it's truly right)_

_It lives from year to year_

_It changes as it goes_

_And oh, the way it grows_

_But it never disappears."_

=^w^=

The concert hall was huge, and everyone was lining up outside the door waving their tickets in the air. It was the spot to be if you wanted to attend the Kingdom Hearts Charity Concert, sponsored by the Kingdom Hearts Foundation, Space Paranoids Electrical and Hollow Bastion Radio Station. Demyx gulped and shuffled through the crowds toward a side door where he could see 'Flurry of Dancing Flames' security guard Lexaeus waiting. The tall man looked over at the sitarist as he managed to get free of the crowds and held the door open for him.

"Follow the hallway until you reach a green door." he stated. Demyx nodded and hurried inside, the door closing behind him. He quickly moved down the hall, each door he passed not the colour he was after. As he passed a red door, he peered inside – hey, it was open, alright? – and gasped at what he saw.

Axel. Shirtless. Rubbing water from his hair. Singing to himself.

"Whoa..." Demyx suddenly found himself falling in love with the redhead all over again. Clutching at his chest where his heart was he tried to move away but he was mesmerised. He'd never really paid that much attention to Axel's body before; it was his smile, charms and quick wit that made him fall the first time.

"Looks like the ways of falling in love change." a voice whispered beside him.

"T-Tora!" The backup singer chuckled quietly and dragged the sitarist toward the green door Lexaeus had instructed him to go to – her dressing room. Quickly pushing him inside she closed the door and set to work layering a thin layer of foundation on his face to make him look a little better than what he did.

KNOCK KNOCK.

"I've hung the clothes on the door!"

"Thanks Namine!" Demyx turned to look at the door in surprise, before a hand gently coaxed him to look back into black-rimmed gold eyes.

"Are you ready to get him back?" Tora asked.

"Yes." he gulped.

"Good, because I know Axel is going to get you back at the same time. Want to practise once more before you go on later?"

"Please, Tora." Smiling at him, the backup singer warmed up her vocal chords before giving him a cue.

=^w^=

"_After all the stops and starts_

_We keep coming back to these two hearts_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall_

_After all we've been through_

_It all comes down to me and you_

_I guess it's meant to be_

_Forever you and me_

_After all." _

=^w^=

Axel was having a hard time concentrating on the melody of his new song. His fingers plucked at the strings of his red guitar automatically, having rehearsed the chords over and over until his fingers bled and Roxas told him off for practicing too hard. The words also came out of his mouth robotically, too, the way they used to when he wasn't with Demyx.

But he was now. Demyx was right beside him, singing a _duet_ with him. Singing a duet of _his song_!

"_Always just beyond my touch,"_ the redhead sang, his trademark smile on his face, _"Though I needed you so much."_

"_After all what else is living for?"_ Demyx countered smoothly, shooting a glance back at the other members of 'Flurry of Dancing Flames'. Sora and Roxas grinned at him, the twin genes definitely showing up. Tora nodded at him and winked, her hands too busy to give him a sign. From backstage Zexion watched the performance, glad to see his best friend happy again. The two singers took a breath ready to perform the finale to the song.

"_Whoa, after all the stops and starts,"_ they sang, their hearts soaring,

"_We keep coming back to these two hearts_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall_

_After all we've been through_

_It all comes down to me and you_

_I guess it's meant to be_

_Forever you and me_

_After all." _The crowd cheered and yelled, the music heaven sent to their ears.

"_After all the stops and starts,_

_We keep coming back to these two hearts_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall_

_After all we've been through_

_It all comes down to me and you_

_I guess it's meant to be_

_Forever you and me_

_After all." _As the last note died, the crowd picked up the volume, cheering their lungs and hearts out at the new song of their favourite band. Demyx replaced the microphone in its stand and ran to Axel, throwing his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Axel returned the gesture, the guitar not feeling awkward against his stomach at all.

It hid the problem he was having, anyway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Demyx!" Tora said into her own microphone, applauding along with the crowd.

"And with that last note, we bid you goodnight Radiant Garden!" Axel yelled as the other members of the band joined him for their customary bow. The screaming echoed past them as they made their way backstage, Tora immediately hugging Zexion because Sora and Roxas denied her one.

"So..." Gold eyes looked over at the two ex-lovers, "What do you think?"

"I think you all had better turn away now." Cupping the blond's chin, Axel swiftly drew him into a kiss that made Demyx's toes curl. Demyx responded in kind, smiling against the slightly bitter tasting lips and snaking his arms around the redhead's neck. Sora made gagging motions and began coughing obnoxiously to prove his thoughts on the action in front of him. Roxas rolled his eyes at his twin and slapped him on the back, sending him to the floor.

"_I guess it's meant to be."_ Tora commented as the two reunited lovers drew apart.

"_Forever you and me."_ Axel murmured, brushing stray hair out of Demyx's teal eyes.

"_After all..."_ he breathed, leaning up again.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: So here's the sequel to 'Lonely'. I like happy AkuDemy as much as the next fangirl and I feel bad for leaving the first story on a sad note. But it's all better now; Axel has Demyx and the world can move again. **

=^w^=

_**DISCLAIMER: The disclaimer applies to the characters and settings of 'Kingdom Hearts II' – SquareEnix and Disney – the song 'After All' – Cher – and Tora – me. **_


End file.
